Patti Smith

I am an absolute novice to the music of Patti Smith's music, so to rectify that I decided to pick up a copy of Easter. On it is the controversial "Rock & Roll Nigger." Now before you get your civil right's panties in a bunch you need to realize what this song is about. One line from this song is:"Jackson Pollock was a nigger." Smith is taking the traditional meaning of that word and showing that it is not limited to the color of one's skin. In fact society often looks down on certain groups of people in disgust in the exact same way. Artists for one have undergone much prejudice for who they are. Now, I am by no means the most qualified person to draw such conclusions, and a much better man than I might be able to delve deeper into the implications of this song, but what Patti Smith has done here was step into an uncomfortable place, somewhere where few artists are brave enough to go and make a stand stating that in terms of being mistreated, we're all in this together.  It's a powerful, controversial song that many people will draw opposing opinions about.
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Rock & Roll Nigger